Over The Pylon

We here at OverThePylon were asked to be a voting member in the SEC Power Poll this season hosted by Team Speed Kills. It’s a collection of the best and brightest SEC blogs throughout the college football landscape and we are fortunate to be a part of it with our loose affiliation to the Kentucky Wildcats. Each week we’ll be posting our ballot, and an expansion of the little blurbs we have to put forward with our votes.

General Power Poll Philosophy
In general, it wouldn’t really make sense for us not to start off with the teams already ranked on our SBNation Blogpoll. So that’s the starting point. From there it’s an exercise in resume evaluation, accomplishments, and expectation. Some use their Power Poll as an evaluation of who would win on a neutral field given the teams’ recent performances while their poll ballots are a combination of where the teams started, how they’ve done, all balanced with preseason expectations. Our Power Poll ballot is a nice hybrid of the two, as is our Blogpoll Ballot.

As I’m sure folks realize, our SEC coverage on the blog has been a bit non-existent this season. Hell, our coverage of BSU has been sorely lacking most weeks. Suffice to say, real life has gotten in the way of posting most times. That of course hasn’t changed our Saturday routine of becoming a football-centric waste of space and basically challenging all around me to not need to speak with me, deal with me, or interact with me in any way at 3:30 as long as CBS is still broadcasting. Off we go with this week’s ballot…

1.) Auburn: Special season for the Tigers, one that I hope doesn’t end up 0-0 with asterisks galore.

2.) LSU: It would take craziness for the Tigers to compete for the national championship without playing for the SEC title, but craziness and Les Miles go together like peas and carrots.

3.) Alabama: No repeat championship for the Tide, but something tells me ruining Auburn’s shot at it in the Iron Bowl would almost be as sweet.

4.) Arkansas: If the Razorbacks beat both MSU and LSU to close the season, then Petrino with a 10-2 record should get some looks at Coach of the Year honors.

5.) South Carolina: Incredible that the SEC East Champs are this far down the poll. Leave it to the Head Ball Coach to wreck the establishment

6.) Mississippi State: Kept it close against Bama, now get the chance to upset Arkansas. This is not the same MSU that Croom’d the SEC the last few seasons.

7.) Florida: If Steve Addazio doesn’t get fired to end this year there’s a good chance Florida fans won’t let him live until Christmas. He’s turned a Corvette into a Kia.

8.) Georgia: Respectable against Auburn, but UGA has left much to be desired this season. Let the Richt questions begin in earnest.

9.) Kentucky: Bowl eligible again for the Wildcats. Bring on the third-tier bowls and their crappy Big East opponent!

10.) Tennessee: It is only appropriate that Tennessee finds some sort of motivation and performance right before the Kentucky game. That’s super.

11.) Ole Miss: Winning out makes the Rebels bowl eligible. That’s not only unlikely but completely unbelievable.

12.) Vandy: Only SEC team that cannot get to bowl eligible. That’s not the exclusive club that you want to be in.

Filed under: SEC Power Poll | Leave a comment »

We here at OverThePylon were asked to be a voting member in the SEC Power Poll this season hosted by Team Speed Kills. It’s a collection of the best and brightest SEC blogs throughout the college football landscape and we are fortunate to be a part of it with our loose affiliation to the Kentucky Wildcats. Each week we’ll be posting our ballot, and an expansion of the little blurbs we have to put forward with our votes.

General Power Poll Philosophy
In general, it wouldn’t really make sense for us not to start off with the teams already ranked on our SBNation Blogpoll. So that’s the starting point. From there it’s an exercise in resume evaluation, accomplishments, and expectation. Some use their Power Poll as an evaluation of who would win on a neutral field given the teams’ recent performances while their poll ballots are a combination of where the teams started, how they’ve done, all balanced with preseason expectations. Our Power Poll ballot is a nice hybrid of the two, as is our Blogpoll Ballot. Off we go with this week’s ballot…

To be truthful, this week’s ballot is basically Alabama-Florida-Auburn, and all the rest. To me, there is a very clear difference between those three and the rest of the league, and each of that trifecta has certainly looked fallible at some given point or another throughout this young year. The bottom half of the conference, where Mississippi State, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Vandy, Tennessee and Georgia find themselves is a population of programs that are just as likely to drop a game in stunning fashion as spring a major upset. It makes poll dancing quite the chore, but we do what we can. As for the remainder of Arkansas, LSU and South Carolina… the jury is still out.

1. Alabama: The Crimson Tide are clearly the class of the SEC at the moment, but Saturday proved that this team is not the invincible machine they were last season. Ironically, it was the “questionable” defense which won this game and kept title hopes alive for Bama.
2. Florida: Another Florida-Kentucky game and another Wildcat loss. Maybe I’ll see a Big Blue win before I’m pissing my pants and looking for the Metamucil. Florida finally looked like Florida, which should be ominous for the rest of the SEC.
3. Auburn: Exciting game, exciting win for the Tigers against a quality South Carolina team. The Tigers are quietly plodding toward a defacto SEC West Championship game in the Iron Bowl.
4. Arkansas: Oh Ryan Mallett, how you always get our hopes up and then never deliver. Back to middle of the pack status for you, Razorbacks.
5. LSU: Probably one of the most confusing teams in college football. Beat a moderately decent WVU team but don’t look impressive. Beat a depleted UNC team but don’t look impressive. Beat Mississippi State and Vanderbilt and have no one care.
6. South Carolina: As Georgia plummets, that victory loses steam. The best thing SC fans can say is they played Auburn close, but at least the OBC is back to throwing headsets. And that warms the cockles of my heart.
7. Mississippi State: Only two losses for the Bulldogs are in conference, against higher ranked teams. They’ll be an enigma until 10/30 when they play Kentucky.
8. Kentucky: Statistically, the Florida game was fairly even. Scoreboard? Not so much. I like to think the Cats simply had an off day and all the haters will be proven wrong come Saturday against the Rebels. I have a bad feeling, though.
9. Ole Miss: Rebs get to show they are either for real or a conference bottom dweller this week against Kentucky. It’s put up or shut up time for both teams.
10. Vandy: Maybe no tougher schedule in the SEC so far, but 1-2 is 1-2, especially when your 1 is against Ole Miss.
11. Tennessee: Overtime for UAB? My God how the Vols have fallen.
12. Georgia: 3 straight losses to open SEC play is simply unforgivable. And the coaching search in the offseason for UGA is going to be a sideshow unto itself. Remember, Georgia, Steve Kragthorpe is indeed available.

Filed under: SEC Power Poll | Leave a comment »

We here at OverThePylon were asked to be a voting member in the SEC Power Poll this season hosted by Team Speed Kills. It’s a collection of the best and brightest SEC blogs throughout the college football landscape. Each week we’ll be posting our ballot, and an expansion of the little blurbs we have to put forward with our votes.

General Power Poll Philosophy
In general, it wouldn’t really make sense for us not to start off with the teams already ranked on our CBSSports Blogpoll. So that’s the starting point. From there it’s an exercise in resume evaluation, accomplishments, and expectation. Some use their Power Poll as an evaluation of who would win on a neutral field given the teams’ recent performances while their poll ballots are a combination of where the teams started, how they’ve done, all balanced with preseason expectations. Our Power Poll ballot is a nice hybrid of the two, as is our Blogpoll Ballot. Off we go with this week’s ballot…

As much as it pains me to admit it since the result is not favorable or positive for Kentucky, the SEC is beginning to shift itself. Where just a few weeks ago, there were two or three programs up top, two or three programs on the bottom, and a wide swath of teams in the middle, each easy to justify wherever someone ranked them in this Power Poll, now that isn’t so much the case. The room at the top is still a three team race, and one of those two will get bumped out come Saturday and the LSU-Alabama tilt.

Past those three it’s a royal mess, and much like the actual Top 25, it’s much more about any team who has the potential to elevate itself completely squandering the opportunity than any team doing something worth jumping anyone else. South Carolina was on the way up, making more than a few fans believe a major Bowl was possible. Saturday’s loss to Tennessee doesn’t make that impossible, but it certainly raises some questions. In many respects, the same could be said for Ole Miss. What started as a year that many thought would be an at-large BCS berth for the Rebels now finds them clinging to the hope of being Bowl eligible and nowhere near the Top 25. Auburn had a meteoric rise and a subsequent meteoric fall after dropping three straight. Kentucky goes and drops a game to Mississippi State that may prove to be damning to UK’s hopes at a 4th straight Bowl. After years past in the SEC where it was a virtual murderer’s row, this Power Poll and the rankings within it seem to be more about who sucks the least at any given moment… at least outside of Gainesville, Tuscaloosa, and Baton Rouge.

1. Florida 8-0 (6-0): Dominated Georgia thoroughly and completely. Eye poking at no additional charge.
2. Alabama 8-0 (5-0): Idle week means the Tide can get rested, but allows Florida to hop over top of them. Gigantic game now against LSU.
3. LSU 7-1 (4-1): If the Tigers want respect, there’s a great chance to earn it this weekend against Alabama. As it stands now they’re clearly #3.
4. Auburn 6-3 (3-3): Which Auburn team is reality? The one that smoked out Ole Miss? Or the one that lost 3 straight? Who the hell knows…
5. Tennessee 4-4 (2-3): It’s almost as if Kiffin and company play really well against teams they shouldn’t beat and really not against teams they should. Looking more and more likely to be Bowling.
6. South Carolina 6-3 (3-3): Just when I thought SC was actually decent and Spurrier was once again making a push for respectability, the Cocks go and lose at Tennessee. Back to mediocrity for you.
7. Ole Miss 5-3 (2-3): Arguably the most disappointing team of 2009, though not all their fault. Pundits and pollsters should have known better than to bank on Nutt.
8. Georgia 4-4 (3-3): Is Florida that good or Georgia that bad? I’m banking on a little bit of both.
9. Mississippi State 4-5 (2-3): Beat our Cats. As such, they can go ahead and piss off.
10. Kentucky 4-4 (1-4): Here’s to hoping that the MSU loss was the fluke and not the wins we celebrated. Uphill climb for the Cats for the rest of 09.
11. Arkansas 4-4 (1-4): Beating Eastern Michigan is really no great accomplishment. Even if you do score 60 and run the score up in true Petrino fashion.
12. Vanderbilt 2-7 (0-5): At least the Commodores are getting a decent education. That’s really the only highlight.

Filed under: SEC Power Poll | Leave a comment »

We here at OverThePylon were asked to be a voting member in the SEC Power Poll this season hosted by Team Speed Kills. It’s a collection of the best and brightest SEC blogs throughout the college football landscape. Each week we’ll be posting our ballot, and an expansion of the little blurbs we have to put forward with our votes.

General Power Poll Philosophy
In general, it wouldn’t really make sense for us not to start off with the teams already ranked on our CBSSports Blogpoll. So that’s the starting point. From there it’s an exercise in resume evaluation, accomplishments, and expectation. Some use their Power Poll as an evaluation of who would win on a neutral field given the teams’ recent performances while their poll ballots are a combination of where the teams started, how they’ve done, all balanced with preseason expectations. Our Power Poll ballot is a nice hybrid of the two, as is our Blogpoll Ballot.

Off we go for this week’s ballot…

1. Alabama 8-0 (5-0): Clear cut number one, even though they did need a blocked field goal to save their rumps.
2. Florida 7-0 (5-0): If this power poll included the officials, they’d be #1 by a wide margin. Another week, another helping hand.
3. LSU 6-1 (4-1): Beating Auburn is clearly nothing special, since everyone seems to do that these days. Tigers still with an outside shot at Atlanta.
4. Ole Miss 5-2 (2-2): Snead finally starts to play like everyone thought he would. Too bad it’s about 4 weeks too late to matter.
5. South Carolina 6-2 (3-2): Which South Carolina team shows up next week? The one that nearly beat Bama? Or the one that nearly got beat by Vandy?
6. Kentucky 4-3 (1-3): Micah Johnson hurt, but the Cats shouldn’t need him against MSU. UK looking to essentially clinch a bowl game this weekend.
7. Georgia 4-3 (3-2): Remember when Georgia was an elite team? I’m sure Mark Richt is hoping that recruits and the AD decide to focus on that memory rather than this season.
8. Arkansas 3-4 (1-4): I wouldn’t blame Arkansas at all for letting the stolen Florida game totally derail their season. Ole Miss thanks them.
9. Tennessee 3-4 (1-3): As a Kentucky fan I am extremely worried about the progress and moxie that Tennessee continues to show. Can’t they just suck again?
10. Auburn 5-3 (2-3): No team had such a meteoric rise and the subsequent meteoric fall from grace this season. We lauded Chizik as the hire of the offseason. We were wrong.
11. Mississippi State 3-5 (1-3): Was this weekend more about Florida slacking or MSU excelling? We’ll find out this weekend as MSU gets the Wildcats of Kentucky
12. Vanderbilt 2-6 (0-5): The best thing about 2009 for the ‘Dores is that it’s more than halfway over.

Theoretically, in terms of “Power” we should rank the SEC officials at #1 and everyone else tied for last. It’s a damn shame that the premier conference in this country has to reprimand coaches and lead the headlines because of mistake, after mistake, after mistake, after mistake, after mistake.

Filed under: SEC Power Poll | Leave a comment »

We here at OverThePylon were asked to be a voting member in the SEC Power Poll this season hosted by Team Speed Kills. It’s a collection of the best and brightest SEC blogs throughout the college football landscape. Each week we’ll be posting our ballot, and an expansion of the little blurbs we have to put forward with our votes.

General Power Poll Philosophy
In general, it wouldn’t really make sense for us not to start off with the teams already ranked on our CBSSports Blogpoll. So that’s the starting point. From there it’s an exercise in resume evaluation, accomplishments, and expectation. Some use their Power Poll as an evaluation of who would win on a neutral field given the teams’ recent performances while their poll ballots are a combination of where the teams started, how they’ve done, all balanced with preseason expectations. Our Power Poll ballot is a nice hybrid of the two, as is our Blogpoll Ballot.

Off we go for this week’s ballot…

1. Alabama 7-0 (4-0): The SEC team above all others in terms of looking dominant and worthy of the top spot week in and week out. The Tide’s defense and offense are both consistently impressive. Alabama fans should be making reservations for Atlanta.
2. Florida 6-0 (4-0): Since Tebow went down, the Gators have just not seemed themselves. This weekend’s contest at MSU has to worry some since MSU is no pushover and the Gators very easily could have been beaten last Saturday against Arkansas.
3. LSU 5-1 (3-1): Tigers get the bye week last weekend and now play Auburn and Tulane. Could get another shot at a Top 10 upset when they battle Alabama in a few weeks with the SEC West on the line.
4. South Carolina 5-2 (2-2): Spurrier and the Gamecocks gave Bama everything they wanted. With Vandy and UT on the horizon, SC will be back in the Top 25 in no time.
5. Ole Miss 4-2 (1-2): This is more about the teams below them not doing enough to pass them as opposed to Ole Miss earning their spot. They’ve hardly looked dominant or impressive, but they are still a dangerous team.
6. Kentucky 3-3 (1-3): No Hartline? No problem. At 3-3 now, the Cats are looking very likely to make their 4th straight Bowl under Rich Brooks much to the surprise of UK fans and really the entire SEC.
7. Arkansas 3-3 (1-3): An upset of Auburn and a near upset of Florida certainly make Arkansas look like a team to watch in the 2nd half of the season.
8. Auburn 5-2 (2-2): What a difference 2 weeks makes. The most troubling thing through their last two losses is the lack of an explosive offense, the Tigers’ calling card in the early season.
9. Tennessee 3-3 (1-2): Huge win against Georgia this past weekend, but the Vols have two very tough tests against Bama and SC looming. Those two games will tell us exactly what kind of team UT is.
10. Georgia 4-3 (3-2): A win at Vandy does little to quiet the doubters of the Dawgs but next weekend’s game against Florida is a chance for UGA to erase all the bad energy.
11. Mississippi State 3-4 (1-2): The Bulldogs followed their almost upset of LSU by dropping 2 out of 3. Their next three against Florida, Kentucky, and Bama may drop them even lower.
12. Vanderbilt 2-5 (0-4): The only winless team in the conference sort of has to finish DFL by default. Well, that and a loss to Army.

Pretty much as we’ve said all season long, there’s a clear definition between the teams that are pretty good (Bama, Florida, LSU) and teams that aren’t. The interesting thing in this particular conference is the amount of parity that is created on the second rung of teams. Two weeks ago, Auburn was being lauded as a potential darkhorse threat for the SEC West while Kentucky and Arkansas were being relegated to the bottom of most everyone’s ballot. Arkansas goes and beats Auburn and plays Florida within a gnat’s ass while Kentucky beats Auburn at Auburn, and is one play away from a win at Columbia. Sort of trademark SEC and damn exciting, even if people are pointing to the lack of a middle class as a “down year”.

Filed under: SEC Power Poll | Leave a comment »

We here at OverThePylon were asked to be a voting member in the SEC Power Poll this season hosted by Team Speed Kills. It’s a collection of the best and brightest SEC blogs throughout the college football landscape. Each week we’ll be posting our ballot, and an expansion of the little blurbs we have to put forward with our votes.

General Power Poll Philosophy
In general, it wouldn’t really make sense for us not to start off with the teams already ranked on our CBSSports Blogpoll. So that’s the starting point. From there it’s an exercise in resume evaluation, accomplishments, and expectation. Clearly an imperfect sort of exercise, and one that will hopefully gain clarity as the season progresses. This early, much like the blogpoll, it’s far from an exact science.

Off we go for this week’s ballot…

1. Alabama 4-0 (1-0)
2. Florida 4-0 (2-0)
3. LSU 4-0 (2-0)
4. Auburn 4-0 (1-0)
5. Georgia 3-1 (2-0)
6. South Carolina 3-1 (1-1)
7. Ole Miss 2-1 (0-1)
8. Kentucky 2-1 (0-1)
9. Mississippi State 2-2 (1-2)
10. Tennessee 2-2 (0-1)
11. Arkansas 1-2 (0-2)
12. Vandy 2-2 (0-2)

Realistically, there is a giant separation between those at the top, those in the middle, and those at the bottom. Essentially, Bama and Florida could flip flop, LSU, Auburn, and Georgia could all flip flop, and forget about the bottom. It’s a wasteland. Kentucky could just as easily be 12th as 8th… same goes for Mississippi if we’re basing this only on the on-field results. Ah well… next week will hopefully be easier.

Filed under: SEC Power Poll | Leave a comment »

We here at OverThePylon were asked to be a voting member in the SEC Power Poll this season hosted by Team Speed Kills. It’s a collection of the best and brightest SEC blogs throughout the college football landscape. Each week we’ll be posting our ballot, and an expansion of the little blurbs we have to put forward with our votes.

General Power Poll Philosophy
In general, it wouldn’t really make sense for us not to start off with the teams already ranked on our CBSSports Blogpoll. So that’s the starting point. From there it’s an exercise in resume evaluation, accomplishments, and expectation. Clearly an imperfect sort of exercise, and one that will hopefully gain clarity as the season progresses. This early, much like the blogpoll, it’s far from an exact science.

Off we go for this week’s ballot…

1. Alabama 3-0 (0-0): This was the week that Alabama overtook the top spot, thanks largely to a lackluster performance from Florida. The Tide have the marquee win in the SEC this season with their season opening victory over Virginia Tech, which is something Florida cannot match. Yet.
2. Florida 3-0 (1-0): The Gators slip to #2 in our Top 25 ballot, and they slip to #2 here as well, though it’s more like 1a and 1b between the Tide and Gators. Two blowouts over marginal teams at best, and an underwhelming win against Tennessee drops Florida. For now.
3. Ole Miss 2-0 (0-0): Still no conference wins for the Rebels, but at least they blew someone out. Granted, it was Southeastern Louisiana, but still… the Rebels finally looked worthy of the Top 5 rankings they’ve been commanding.
4. LSU 3-0 (1-0): The Tigers struggled in their season opener against Washington and cruised against Vandy and Louisiana-Lafayette. Hardly impressive, but coupled with the talent on the roster and the expectations for LSU, they’re firmly entrenched here at #4.
5. Georgia 2-1 (2-0): Probably the most frustrating team in all of college football this season, as well as the team that is most puzzling. The Bulldogs get credit for a tough early schedule, and are the only team with two conference wins. The Dawgs have allowed 88 points through 3 games, and that’s not making it any easier to keep the Bulldogs in the Top 5.
6. Auburn 3-0 (1-0): The Tigers had a marquee win on Saturday against West Virginia, and have already rang up a conference win against Mississippi State. A high octane offense is pacing this team and making Gene Chizik look like the front-runner for Hire of the Offseason.
7. Kentucky 2-0 (0-0): The Wildcats’ two wins so far has been against hapless Miami (Ohio) and Louisville. It remains to be seen whether or not the closeness of the Louisville game was a result of rivalry emotions, Louisville’s talent, or Kentucky’s lack thereof. This weekend’s contest against Florida will tell a lot about what kind of team Kentucky has.
8. Mississippi State 2-1 (1-1): A loss to Auburn is looking more and more respectable, and the Bulldogs did beat Vandy on the road. Hardly a stellar accomplishment, but road wins in the SEC are worth recognizing. As the teams below them who simply have no wins and at least one loss in the conference begin to get W’s, this ranking will slip for MSU.
9. South Carolina 2-1 (0-1): After a season-opening win against NC State that was far from impressive, the Gamecocks then got outshot by Georgia in their lone conference game. A win over Florida Atlantic does little to quelch the doubts and questions about this team, which are plenty and significant.
10. Arkansas 1-1 (0-1): One of the teams destined to move up as the conference season continues, Arkansas only has two measurable results to evaluate: an FCS win, and a loss to Georgia… the most befuddling team in all of FBS. What is nearly a given is that with the offensive explosion taking place at Arkansas, they will beat someone notable this season. It’s a virtual certainty.
11. Tennessee 1-2 (0-1): Some will give credit to the Vols for keeping it close against Florida, and in some respects, they did. For anyone who watched this game though, the closeness was a result of Florida’s lackluster effort and nothing done by Tennessee, but the Vols do move up a bit on our ballot (from 12th to 11th) thanks largely to Vandy just looking worse. The only positive for fans in 09 has been a blowout of a 1st-year FCS program.
12. Vanderbilt 1-2 (0-2): The Commodores are the first team to two SEC losses this season, and they haven’t even gotten to their East division brethren yet. After a season-opening win against Western Carolina, the Dores have dropped games at LSU and against MSU. The positive thing to take away is neither game was exceptionally out of reach or ugly. Congrats?

It’s a mess but getting less messy. Right now, you’re being asked to evaluate a team with no common opponents, an FCS tomato can win, and a heaping helping of expectations versus a team that has tangible results against markedly better foes. Next week we should see quite the shake up on this thing…

Filed under: SEC Power Poll | Leave a comment »